382 



THE AMERICAN 



elevations, reaching to fourteen thousand feet and 

 upwards, we may enumerate the following: Thlaspi 

 coehleariforme, Claytonia megarrhiza, Tri folium nan- 

 um, Oxyirepis arctica, Saxifraga serpyllifolia, An- 

 drosace chamcejasme, Chionophila Jamesii, Eritrieh- 

 ium areiioides, Polemonitan confertum, Gentiana 

 frigida, Salix reiiculaia, Lloydia serotina, Luzula 

 spicaia, Carex incurva, Poa arctica. 



Of the thirty-four natural orders represented in 

 the alpine flora, thirty-one belong to Phenogamous 

 plants, the remaining three include the higher 

 orders of Cryptogams, of the latter. Ferns are repre- 

 sented by a single species, not exclusively alpine 

 {Cryptogramme acrostichoidea, R. Br.) Mosses are 

 more numerously represented, but are still com- 

 paratively rare, while Lichens are most abundant 

 and aflford the greatest number of species. 



Of the Phenogamous orders twenty-seven belong 

 to Dicotyledons, four to Monocotyledons. Of these 

 the natural order, Compositce, comprises the largest 

 number oi species, viz.: twenty-four included in 

 thirteen gene»a; Ranunculacece has five genera, 

 seven species; Cmciferoe, five genera, six species; 

 Caryophyllacem, five genera, six species; Legiimi- 

 noseas, two genera, four species; Rosacece, four 

 genera, five species; Saxifragaceoe, two genera, nine 

 species; PHmulacece, two genera, four species; 

 Sorofulariaceos, six genera, ten species; Gentiana- 

 cecB, two genera, six species; Salicacece, one genus 

 four species ; Conifereae, three genera, five species •' 

 Juneacece, two genera, seven species ; Cyperacece, one 

 genus, four species; Gratninem, five genera, nine 

 species. Of large families entirely unrepresented 

 we may note Solanacece, Labiatece. 



Tlie superficial extent ol these bare alpine expo- 

 sures can only be approximately estimated in the 

 absence of any exact topographical measurements. 

 Taking the main mountain mass extending througli 

 Colorado Territory, or between 37°, and 41o, north 

 latitude, including the high oflSets and detached 

 peaks, rising above eleven thousand feet, it would 

 be safe to allow an average width of five miles, for 

 the entire distance, in a straight line, representing 

 in round numbers an area of from twelve hundred 

 to fifteen hundred square miles. Tliroughout this 

 extent there is great uniformity in the vegetation 

 presented, though agreeably varied by the diflferent 

 exposures or conditions of soil and moisture. 

 Wherever the peculiar texture of the underlying 

 rock has favored disintegration, and the accumula- 

 tion of soil, a rich alpine sward is presented, made 

 up of densely matted grasses, carices, and plants 

 adapted to pasturage. Here tlie mountain sheep 

 the elk, and the Rocky Mountain goat, graze during 

 the summer months, and the mountain ptermigan 

 and dusky grouse feed and rear their young. When 

 once made accessible it will, no doubt, aflbrd a 

 favorite resort for summer pasturage, and m.iy 

 eventually yield choice dairy products equaling 

 those of the Swiss Alps, or produce delicate fibrous 

 tissues, rivaling those of the looms of Cashmere. 



As a sanitary retreat during the summer months 

 it is unexcelled in the" purity and' coolness of its 

 atmosphere, the clearness of its flowing streams, 

 and its picturesque extended views. There are no 

 elevated points that cannot be safely ascended, and 

 dangers from snow avalanches, or land slips, are so 

 rare as not to be taken into consideration. Of the 

 high culminating points met with in the district 

 under review, including Long's peak on the north, 

 and the Sierra Blanca on the south, there is a re- 

 markable uniformity in the average elevation; all 

 as far as accurately measured rising above fourteen 

 thousand feet. Gray's peak in the di\iding ridge, 

 which is now a point of common summer resort, so 

 far carries the palm in an elevation of fourteen 

 thousand two hundred and fifty-one feet. Its asso- 

 ciate peak (which it is most earnestly hoped may 

 bear the appropriate name first proposed, of Tor- 

 rey's peak, in commemoration of the early botanical 

 labors of our veteran American botanist) is thought 

 to be somewhat higher, an interesting point which 

 wiU no doubt be determined by Professor Whitney 

 in his present summer's exploration of that region. 



Plants of the Cactus family are principally 

 confined to the Western continent, and although 

 most abundant in tropical regions, some forms 

 extend far into the temperate zone, and some 

 species even have an alpine character. Back, in 

 his noi-thern expedition, saw with astonish- 

 ment the banks of the Rainy Lake, in latitude 

 48° 40', entirely covered with the prickly pear 

 {Opuntia vulgaris). Humboldt found on the 

 Andes several species of Cactus on elevated 

 plains from 9,000 to upwards of 10,600 feet 

 above the level of the sea. Some have even 

 been gathered at an elevation of 13,600 feet. 

 In size and height the diflereut kinds present re- 

 markable contrast. In Mexico and Arizona 

 many kinds assume an arborescent form. Other 

 kinds have a globular form, some with a diame- 

 ter of three feet, and attaining a weight of 2,000 

 pounds, while a Cactus in South America is so 

 small and so loosely rooted in the sand that it 

 gets betw(5m#ie toes of dogs. 



Palms are me loftiest and most stately of all 

 vegetable forms. To these, above all other 

 trees, the prize of beauty has always been 

 awarded by every nation. Marked with rings, 

 and not unfreqnently armed with thorns, the ' 

 tall and slender shaft of this graceful tree rears 

 on high its crown of shining, fan-like, or pin- 

 nated leaves, which are often curled like those 

 of some grasses. Smooth stems of the Palm 

 sometimes rise to a height of one hundred and 

 ninety feet. It diminishes in size and beauty as 

 it recedes from the equatorial toward the tem. 

 perate zones. * 



